Good Jobs Rate Lower, But Highest Rate Recorded For September

The September Gallup Good Jobs (GGJ) rate was 45.6 percent, down from the 46.5 percent measured in August but still higher than any other September rate recorded since it began tracking this measurement in 2010. GGJ typically peaks in June and July with summer employment and falls through autumn, so the decline from the record 47.1 percent in July is in line with typical seasonal patterns. The percentage of U.S. adults in September who participated in the workforce in any capacity -- by working full time, working part time, or not working but actively seeking and being available for work -- was 67.5 percent, essentially the same as 67.4 percent in August.

Gallup's unadjusted U.S. unemployment rate in September was 5.4 percent, steady with August. However, this month's rate is almost a full point below the 6.3 percent recorded in September 2015, reflecting the better employment situation now compared with a year ago. The measure of underemployment in September was 12.9 percent, down nominally from 13.2 percent in August and the second-lowest Gallup has recorded to date. Gallup recorded the low of 12.7 percent for underemployment in July 2016.